Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Music and Poetry in Germany


Music, theatre, and dance in the 18th and 19th century in Germany

Music and dance became popular in Germany in the mid-16th century. During this period, Martin Luther, who led the Protestant Reformation, composed lots of chorales. His songs were based on the old Latin hymns, as well as secular tunes. The chorales were only meant for performances in religious services; they represented a musical form that was used in the Protestant church in Germany. The church was developed by the musicologist and composer in the early 17th century, and Heinrich Schutz took after him, and he was able to come up with music that was strictly sacred. He used newer styles as compared to the ones that his Italian teachers used with German forms. Surprisingly, the first German opera was his Dafne (Strimple 60).



The late ornamental period in relation to music history was highly dominated by Johann Sebastian Bach. He was a prolific and brilliant composer and specifically played the harpsichord and organ. He produced a number of masterpieces that were instrumental, as well as sacred. Another crucial and well-remembered figure was George Telemann; he was recognised as the leading German composer during his time. He is considered as being very versatile and prolific (Strimple 70).

Until the 20th century, music in Germany was understood to have been in existence because of Australian composers. Ludwig Van Beethoven is a credited musician and dancer in history who was able to bridge the gap between 18th and 19th centuries’ music. He has been regarded as a pivotal interim figure that came in between the classical and Romantic periods (Strimple 78).

Works Cited
Strimple, Nick. Choral Music in the Nineteenth Century. New York: Amadeus, 2008. Print.

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